Are you drinking enough water? Everyone knows that staying hydrated is crucial for your health. But did you know that the functionality of our body and cognitive ability is hindered to an alarming degree if our body’s total water content drops by as little as 1 percent?
Many studies have shown that mild levels of dehydration can significantly affect our physical and emotional abilities. Furthermore, it takes only a 2 percent loss of total water content for your body to start feeling thirsty. Once you’re at this point your body is already in a state of dehydration.
Why We Need Water
Water is essential for human life. It accounts for 50-70% of our body weight and is crucial for most bodily functions.
Any deficit in normal body water through dehydration, sickness, exercise, or heat stress can make you feel rotten. First, you may feel thirsty then fatigued and may develop a mild headache. This eventually gives way to grumpiness and mental and physical decline.
We continually lose water via our breath, urine, feces and skin. Most healthy people regulate their body’s water level remarkably well and are guided by appetite and thirst. But this is more difficult for infants, the sick, the elderly, athletes, and those with strenuous physical occupations, especially in high heat conditions.
Motivational Water Bottle
A great way to stay hydrated is with a Probttl water bottle. This water bottle inspires you to drink more water with encouraging quote reminders of the daily benefits of drinking water. The borosilicate glass water bottle comes with a food-grade silicone sleeve which provides maximum impact protection.
The Probttl water bottle is leak-proof, eco-friendly, and reusable with hourly markings. It is made of borosilicate glass which is BPA, BPS, PVC, Lead, and Cadmium-free and will not crack under extreme temperature and pressure. Get your Probttl motivational water bottle here.
How Much Should You Drink?
There are many different opinions on just how much water you should be drinking every day. Health experts commonly recommend following the 8×8 rule. Drink eight 8-ounce glasses, which equals about 2 liters, or half a gallon a day.
Around 80 percent of total daily water should be obtained from any beverage (including water, caffeinated drinks, and alcohol!) and the remaining 20 percent from food.
But of course, this is just a rough guide. Here’s how to monitor your own hydration (courtesy of The Conversation).
- Track your body weight and stay within 1 percent of your normal baseline. You can work out your baseline by averaging your weight (just out of bed, before breakfast) on three consecutive mornings.
- Monitor your urine. You should be urinating regularly (more than three to four times per day) and it should be a pale straw or light yellow color without a strong odor. If less frequent, darker color, or too pungent, then drink more fluids.
- Be conscious about drinking enough fluids. Your fluid consumption should prevent the perception of thirst. Consuming water-dense foods like fresh fruit and veggies are great sources of hydration too (and they also provide other crucial nutrients, to boot). Just another reason to eat your vegetables!
Water Rich Foods
Don’t let dehydration spoil your fun in the sun. Water is always your best bet, but so many fresh foods double as a delicious way to give your body the extra fluids it needs. Here are a few to consider:
- Watermelon
- Cucumbers
- Strawberries
- Cantaloupe
- Oranges
- Broth and soups
- Green leafy vegetables
Have your water and eat it, too! 
You may like our blog post How To Make a Healthy Smoothie.
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